Unfortunately...No Magic Bullet for Urban Schools

It appears that education is going to be a major issue in the 2009 governor's race in New Jersey. Of course, the vast majority of voters are consumed by their concern over the state's economy along with employment and taxes. However, it appears that incumbent governor Jon Corzine and his Republican opponent Chris Christie have very different views about how to approach education--especially in urban areas.

It looks like Christie has found a way to connect with a small but potentially influential group of urban education advocates who have been calling for school choice for decades. We are talking about vouchers, something that has been tried in places like Milwaukee, with mixed results. Historically, in New Jersey school choice has not been a major statewide issue during campaigns for governor. Clearly, the issue of urban education is much more complex than school vouchers. In fact, two issues that appear to be related, which Christie has been advocating, is merit pay for teachers as well as a dramatic expansion of the number of charter schools in urban areas.

However, while merit pay and charter schools are relevant, school choice is a third rail of education policy. Corzine, like many public figures, advocates school choice, but only within the public schools. His argument is that taking any money and giving it to parents so they can make decisions about where to send their kids will make the challenge of urban public education even harder by siphoning off much-needed dollars.

Christie, however, is taking a simple and very direct approach saying that urban public education is largely failing and thereby denying parents in our cities the opportunity to use a government voucher to send their kids to parochial or private schools is wrong. On the surface, this argument can have great appeal, however, urban education, as I said, is much more complex than simply giving vouchers to parents.

In fact, in the past, I have argued in favor of school choice. However, it's become clear to me that given that it has taken so many years for our urban schools to find themselves in the position they are in, there is no panacea, no magic bullet, no single policy that will turn things around over night, and that includes school choice. It is an option that should be vigorously debated, however, my greatest concern is that the issue of urban education will wind up becoming a political football this fall with both Corzine and Christie attempting to curry favor and get votes by appealing, and in fact pandering, to constituencies who in fact want that quick fix.

Do I believe in charter schools? Absolutely. My father founded one of the most successful charter schools in New Jersey, the Robert Treat Academy in Newark. However, I am also concerned that if charters are given out in a haphazard and cavalier fashion, urban parents and children will be given false hope. Further, while I understand the argument for merit pay for teachers, Governor Corzine, like President Barack Obama, has effectively argued that giving that merit pay to an individual school for overall student performance also has great appeal.

I say, put school choice, teacher merit pay and the expansion of charter schools up for a healthy and honest debate between Corzine and Christie. Further, while we are talking about improving urban education, let's also be honest with ourselves about the myriad of problems and challenges facing urban schools that no wealthy suburban communities have to deal with. (Does your kid have to pass through a metal detector every day when they enter their school?) I'm not talking about lowering expectations or standards, but rather being honest with ourselves about how incredibly difficult it is to both teach and learn in a city school. That's the debate New Jersey needs.

When it comes to urban education, everything should be on the table, except cheap gimmicks and even cheaper rhetoric that falsely raises expectations and sends the message that one or two actions or policies can turn urban education around overnight.